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Heart
Issues
The material on this page is authored by
Dorothy and Julian Prager
Heartworm -- This is one of the most dangerous conditions which can affect your dog. Fortunately, it is easy to prevent with annual check-ups and regular medication.
Heartworm is a worm which is transmitted among effected animals by mosquitoes. It migrates to your dog's heart, where it grows, reducing blood flow and ultimately leading to heart failure. The signs of infestation are lethargy, coughing, extreme weight loss and shortness of breath.
Your Vet must take a blood test to determine that adult heartworms are not present, since administering heartworm preventive medication with adult heartworms present can cause to dog to become ill. Once your dog is known to be free of adult heartworms, daily or monthly administration of heartworm medication will kill the larval form before it matures and may control other worms as well.
The proper dosages by weight are on the side of the bottle you'll get from your Vet. The easiest way to weigh him to determine the appropriate dosage is to weigh yourself and then weight yourself holding the dog. The difference is his weight. It is crucial he gets the medication on schedule (daily or monthly) during the Heartworm period (Mid-March through December) since missing even a few days can make the medication ineffective.
Once he reaches 50 pounds, you may want to change him to monthly Heartguard or Interceptor pills. They can be given in cream cheese or in chewable form and come with stick-on calendar reminders for medication dates. The monthly pills come in packages of six or nine. Since your dog grows rapidly during the first year of life, it is a waste of money to give the once a month tablet before the dog is 50 pounds. At that weight, his dosage will stay the same for the rest of his life.
Filaribits Plus provides protection against several types of worms in addition to heartworm. Heartguard provides protection against some types of mange. Interceptor provides protection against hookworms. Some people find it easier to medicate once a month, while others like the daily routine. Whichever method you choose, it is an easy protection against a deadly disease.
Some people keep their dogs on the heartworm preventative only during the heartworm season, while others keep them on it all the year around. Talk to your Vet about the benefits and disadvantages of each approach. If your dog develops heartworms, he can be treated if it's caught early enough. Your Vet will administer drugs to kill the adult worms, which will be absorbed by your dog's body. Then, about 1 1/2 months later, the larval forms will be killed with daily medication. Your dog will require annual testing for heartworm.
Pulmonary Stenosis -- Pulmonary stenosis is a narrowing of the Pulmonary artery, causing a lessening of blood flow and an increase of blood pressure as the heart works harder to pump blood through the constricted region. The condition is rated on a scale of one to six, with six being the severest form. The prognosis for dogs with severe conditions is not good. However, some dogs with relatively severe conditions have lived to an advanced age with fairly normal, happy lives lives.
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